During the past year or so, I have finally progressed beyond a nascent project just hinting at the potential for a film to an advanced work-in-progress that is starting to gain momentum and recognition.

Recent progress includes:

Participation in Independent Film Week 2010, the oldest forum for emerging independent films and filmmakers.

Andrew Herwitz, president of The Film Sales Company, joining the project as sales agent and executive producer. Andrew has been instrumental in some of the most successful independent documentary releases of all time.

In collaboration with Dorothy Gilliam, director of SMPA’s Prime Media Movers program, hosting a pre-screening with National Association of Black Journalists members who covered the tragedy at the time, including former Philadelphia Inquirer journalists Vanessa Williams and Elmer Smith, NABJ founder Paul Delaney, former Washington Post journalists Richard Prince and Bill Raspberry, and George Curry, who covered it for the Chicago Tribune.

The award of a $30,000 grant from the Sundance Documentary Fund. This means not only much-needed funds to continue work but also entry into an exclusive collaborative peer group and that includes numerous opportunities for workshopping, mentoring, and fellowship.

Wow. It’s enough to make one’s head spin.

Here is SMPA’s write-up and our new IMDb page (not much there yet, it but makes me happy to see it). i’ll be getting a dedicated website up soon, but if you want to get updates, you can sign up here on the film page of this site.